Planning Commission briefs

October 05, 2004|by TARA REILLY

Commission suggests water, sewer changes

The Washington County Planning Commission on Monday voted to recommend that the County Commissioners change their water and sewer plan so the towns of Boonsboro and Funkstown may upgrade and expand their wastewater treatment plants.

Maryland law requires that counties rule that such requests are consistent with county water and sewer plans before state agencies may issue any permits for the construction or the extension of any public water and sewage facilities.

Boonsboro, expecting a large population increase in the next 20 years, plans to increase the capacity of its wastewater treatment plant to serve a population of 6,600, county Senior Planner Tim Lung said at a public hearing last month. The plant currently serves a population of approximately 3,000.

The estimated $5.5 million in upgrades also would include enhanced nutrient removal, a new state requirement that aims to further reduce pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay.

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The projects are scheduled to be completed by March 2007, according to county information.

Funkstown's treatment system serves approximately 1,000 residents, but the leaking lagoon is about 40 years old and needs repairs, Lung said.

The town also is considering whether to hook up to the City of Hagerstown's sewer system, planning officials said Monday night.

Third section of Westfields gets preliminary approval

The third section of a 773-unit housing development planned along Sharpsburg Pike received preliminary plat approval Monday night.

The Washington County Planning Commission granted preliminary approval for the third section of the Westfields development, which is to contain 184 dwelling units on 53 acres, Senior Planner Lisa Kelly Pietro said. The entire development, formerly known as Saint James Park, will take up 443 acres.

The first and second sections were approved earlier this year.

The project's developers have offered Washington County 10 to 12 acres in the middle of the development to be used for a new public school.

Planning Director Michael Thompson said the County Commissioners and the Board of Education plan to discuss the land offer at an upcoming meeting.